A disposable alcohol test reveals whether you are fit to drive within two minutes

A rapid alcohol test that measures the blood alcohol content from saliva has been developed. The disposable test fits easily into a small wallet and reveals the user’s fitness to drive within couple of minutes.

The Finnish company Goodwiller has launched a rapid alcohol test it has developed in collaboration with VTT that measures the blood alcohol content from saliva. A disposable test fits easily into a small wallet and reveals the user’s fitness to drive within couple of minutes.

Goodwiller Oy’s Promilless test was developed in cooperation with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The test is based on the use of printed biochemical ingredients.

“On the basis of a saliva sample, the innovation incidates when the blood alcohol content exceeds 0.2 ‰ (promilles). The test result is indicated as the darkening of the test strip’s ‘intelligent paper areas,” says Project manager Marika Kurkinen from VTT.

If only the green control zone becomes darker, the blood alcohol content is less than 0.2 ‰, and the test functions properly. If the yellow area on the test strip gets darker, it means that the blood alcohol content has risen above 0.2 ‰.

“With the alcohol test, we want to provide consumers with an easy and convenient way for ensuring that they are fit to drive, and a possibility to act responsibly in traffic,” points out CEO Petri Särkelä from Goodwiller.

According to estimates, the use of different self-diagnostic tests related to health and well-being will increase significantly in the future. The printed intelligence technology developed by VTT enables cost-efficient and large-scale production.